Key fobs, or remote keyless entry devices, that unlock, for example, the driver's door, passenger doors, or the trunk lid are well known. Some key fobs control other user preferred features such as seat position, radio station, and air control temperature settings. Many key fobs are manually activated by the user (active approach) as the vehicle is approached. Other key fobs transmit a signal in response to a low frequency query from the vehicle (passive approach), with the key fob signal being detected by the vehicle for activating the desired features. Yet other known key fobs, when unlocking or locking the doors of the vehicle, will cause an audible sound to be emitted from the vehicle and/or various lights on the vehicle to be illuminated.
However, these known devices require the user be within a certain distance of the vehicle prior to use and generally within sight of the vehicle. If the user of the vehicle does not know or remember the location of the vehicle, which may be parked in a parking lot at a mall or sporting event, for example, these known devices are of limited benefit.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system that assists the user to find the vehicle by actively determining the distance to the vehicle. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.